Thank you for supporting me and the more than 300,000 kids worldwide who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. By sharing the gifts of your time, talent and money with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, you're supporting research to give all kids with cancer a better chance for a cure. Deegan was taken to the emergency room after flu like symptoms kept repeating and he was losing color in his lips. He was air lifted to Akron Children's hospital with a dangerously low hemoglobin that required a blood transfusion. After running tests we were given the devastating news that he was in for a long battle against leukemia. Time stood still at that moment. They then did a bone marrow biopsy to determine what type of leukemia. Unfortunately more bad news. He had AML Leukemia. This is one of the harder types to fight. He had surgery to place a port for his chemo to run through. Chemo started thru iv into his port and into his spinal fluid. Then more bad news that he would need a bone marrow transplant. Thankfully we got some great news that they found a handful of matches for him. He continued rounds of chemotherapy and long stays in the hospital. The staff became family to us. It was a long road and finally the scariest part, transplant prep. Deegan's cells were cleared out of his little body with very high doses of chemo to have him ready for the new cells. Now he had so many different medications running into him. This also included a pain pump to help with mouth sores which made it hard for him to eat and swallow. He fought through it all like a champ. The transplant took! We were beyond happy. Now he had a long stay over at the Ronald McDonald House. Sadly he developed a rash on the outside and inside of his body. Guest verses host disease, which could be fatal. His Dr used a experimental drug to treat this. It worked!! So back to the Ronald McDonald House after about a month in the hospital. He continued to do great. He did his 100 days after transplant and we finally got to bring our boy home to his brothers and sister. Deegan has continued to do great and is still in remission. He had an amazing first plane ride to meet his donar Chase Stigall in Minneapolis. Also went to Indianapolis to the Butler Bulldogs basketball game. Chase played ball for them in college along side the late Andrew Smith. Andrew had passed from Cancer and his wife Samantha and Chase started project 44 in his honor. Project44 reaches out to get people all over to register to be a potential donor. Chase signed up at Andrews funeral and saved our sons life. We are forever great ful for Project44 and all of the staff at Akron Children's. We are so excited that Deegan is being honored by St. Baldricks. Thank you to everyone for your support!